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Published: October 12th 2010
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A lovely drive south from Mandurah yesterday with a few little side trips - even managaing to find an Australian National Trust house - Wonnerup- so I could use my UK card here. One of the first settlers here in this area cleared land started a farm and then got speared by an aborigine - but his widow carried on ( as we do !!!) with her 5 children. ...and i think founded a dynasty. A nice little one-teacher schoolhouse had me thinking of times gone by. I was driving through a beautiful forest of Tuart trees (another kind of eucalyptus) the Ludlow National park and the forest floor was covered in white lillies. I was stunned to see so many - and there I am at home with a couple in a pot struggling. But then I mentioned it to the warden at the NT house and he said "WEEDS !! from South Africa" and told me they are trying to get rid of them with weed killers. I suppose if they are not native plants then they will stop the native flora from taking hold. Anway I am here in the spring wildflower season and I am really on
the look out for them.
Arrived at the resort here at Bussleton and was gven a unit up stairs and with a balcony overlooking the gardens and the pool and out to sea....as it is right next to the beach. Decided to chill out this morning and sat by the pool reading. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a bit of wildlife - 2 rather large fat lizarddy things about 20 inches long...resisted the tempation to scream as they were just ambling along one after the other and I thought they weren't quite as scarey as those monitor lizards Michael and I saw in Sri Lanka!!!
Then off for a drive to Cape Naturaliste ( french explorers did come here so lots of names are french) where there is a lovely light house and lots of walks. The walks are well mapped and marked and paths are cleared sometimes cemented and sometimes just natural and rocky or sandy..so very easy and not likely to get lost. ( And of course, Terry - I had my fone with me !!!)So I took the one marked Whale Lookout thinking ' I'll be lucky if I see one' ...and as
I came through the bush nearer to the coast line there was a whale blowing just out to sea!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW. the binocs came out of the rucsac and I must have stayed 1/2 hour or so just watching various whales breaching the water, blowing and some leaping up and smacking their fins on the water. Looking at the info board I think they were humpbacks. It is amazing to see....and I didnt have to pay for a whale watching tour. ...or go out for housr in a boat,Prill!!! I know it wasn't close up like you would get in a boat but I could see them clearly thorugh the binocs. Also spotted a seal on the rocks ... then walking back there was a differnt kind of lizzardy thing just sitting on the path waiting for me to take his foto. A few minutes later movement to my right and as I turned my head 2 lovely big kangaroos hopped past me about 10 m away from me. I am taken aback at this wildlife experience.....as well as the animals I had seen so many wildflowers today... so Western Australia is living up to expectations and with more to come
I am sure.
So another great day ...and the resort has broadband so I don't have to go to an internet cafe to keep in touch.
Bye for now.
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Pauline
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Oh Wow!!!!!!!!
Seals, Kangas and whales all in a day. Wonderful. And I do like to see a pioneer who travels with a full set of matching china :-)